What if…?
For as long as I can remember, these two seemingly trivial words have been a source of discontent in my life. “What if cliff diving in the Grand Canyon left me paralyzed?” “What if my radial nerve was severed when I broke my humerus into two pieces?”
My name is Arya Reddy. I am a junior in high school and my close counters with life-altering injuries have instilled in me a permanent thankfulness for every waking moment. Had my spine compressed a few additional millimeters, chances are I wouldn't be able to walk. If I fell a few degrees in the wrong way I would have had to go through a life-altering surgery.
Creating OustOI has been a way for me to express my gratitude for coming out of such close encounters relatively unscathed. I know what its like to sit out in recess as a kid, watching all of your friends have fun playing infection, or how it feels to train hard for a new season just to get injured before its start. Let me tell you, it is no fun.
However, to put it frankly, thousands of people diagnosed with OI worldwide have it much worse than I do. My condition is mild enough for me to still participate in non-contact sports like fencing; however, more often than not, an OI diagnosis means a complete halt on all intense physical activity.
In order to do my part in mitigating these effects of OI. I have founded OustOI. We funnel money earned from fundraisers and donations into organizations like the OI Foundation that allocate their resources towards finding a cure and improving the quality of life of those suffering with OI.
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